These animal lovers get the most out of the great outdoors, with their loyal companions.

What beats hitting the open road and heading into the wild? How about bringing along your best buddy? From mountain hiking to navigating canyons, these pets on the go are every bit as adventurous as their owners – and have photos to prove it!

The Air Up There

“Escaping to the mountains with Hoku is our definition of the perfect weekend, and San Bernardino Peak (10,649 feet) is one of our favorite hikes. It’s hard to believe that wild places with stunning views are so close to Los Angeles. We feel lucky to live near many amazing hikes!”

In the Swim

“If there’s any water nearby, Django will jump right in. We’re at Lake Powell near Page, Arizona, on a cross-country adventure. Django inspired us to launch djangobrand.com, a collection of high-quality, weather-resistant adventure gear for dogs.”

On the Road

“In this photo, Hendrix the Hiking Dog and I were headed to the trailhead to hike the Devil’s Canyon Scenic Area Trail in Arkansas. The rainy season of April 2017 made it difficult to traverse the gravel and dirt, so we just got out and hiked from the road! I have a 2014 Outback and I love it. I hope to always have a Subaru.”

We Are Family

“We love hiking and enjoying everything the outdoors has to offer. We drive a Subaru because we know that wherever our adventures may take us, or however many of our furry family members we take with, we will always be able to go where we want. These are my dogs Remy [outside vehicle] and Jack [in vehicle] in the Wynoochee Valley in Washington state while we were on an early-season hiking adventure.”

Lucky Lulu

“This was when I was on a cruise with other car enthusiasts through the Finger Lakes region of western New York. Lulu came to me when a woman visited Van Bortel Subaru, where I work. She’d been fostering Lulu. I ended up falling in love and took Lulu on ‘trade’ for an STI! She is about 6 years old and is a black lab mix.”

Cat Tales

Far be it from cats to let dogs have all the fun. Our friends at adventurecats.org shared the following photos of, as they say, “courageous kitties” with us. Can’t get enough? Look for the new book Adventure Cats: Living Nine Lives to the Fullest (Workman Publishing) in stores nationwide!

Mane Man

“This is my cat, Floyd the Lion, hiking in Corona Arch in Moab, Utah. As you can see, Floyd thinks he’s a lion ruling over his kingdom. This is the most advanced hike we’ve done with Floyd! He was a trooper, walking a good portion and catching a ride in a backpack the rest of the way.”

Floyd the Lion is at home hiking in Utah. Photo: Susie Floros-Garrison / floydthelion.com

Romancing the Stone

“My husband, Graham, and I often take our Subaru to Poudre Canyon to hike with our cat, Quandary. Graham proposed to me with Quandary! He admitted that he had no idea what we would do with another cat, but he couldn’t imagine proposing to his ‘crazy cat lady’ any other way!”

Pet Adventure Safety Best Practices!

More and more people are taking their pets along when they go adventuring. There are a few ways you can keep your fuzzy friend safe and healthy. First, pick a highly reflective harness or collar that has identification and a phone number, should your pet become separated from you. There are also GPS devices that can be attached to collars to help you locate your pet. (Microchips help identify lost animals and have the added bonus of being permanent.) Second, as you drive to or from your destination, keep your pet secured with safety belts, either across the carrier or through the harness. Third, make sure your pets are up to date on flea/tick/heartworm prevention. Parasites don’t take vacations!

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